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woensdag 16 mei 2012

Harold and Kumar have been to White Castle and Guantanamo Bay. Now they're going to Adult Swim.

Adult Swim is developing an animated project based on the "Harold & Kumar" movies, the network said Tuesday. The project, which currently goes under the moniker "Untitled Animated Harold & Kumar Project," is being produced by Lionsgate.

The network has also given the go-ahead to a pilot from "Community" creator Dan Harmon. Titled "Rick & Morty," the half-hour project follows a "genius inventor grandfather and his less than genius grandson, and the journeys in life they share."

Other pilots given the nod by Adult Swim include "Colonel Wallace,'" about an eccentric Southern fried-chicken magnate; "Coffin Dodgers," which follows the curmudgeonly residents of a suburban retirement home who "get into Animal House-style trouble"; "Green Bench: The American Day Dream," about a group of friends with nebulous business plans; "Freestyle Love Supreme," which centers on a bunch of rapping I.T. specialists; "King Star King," about "a modern day he-man who’s half-warrior, half-idiot"; and "Rolling With Dad," from Seth Grahame-Smith of "Pride and Prejudice and Zombies" and "The Hard Times of RJ Berger"'s David Katzenberg. "Rolling With Dad" follows a brilliant disabled man as he struggles to deal with his much less intelligent family.

MTV's annual awards ceremony is moving to Los Angeles' Staples Center this year, giving it a lot more elbow room than its previous location, the Nokia Theatre.

The Staples Center, home venue to the Los Angeles Lakers and Los Angeles Kings, has a seating capacity approaching 20,000 for concerts and special events, compared to the Nokia's 7,100 capacity.

An MTV spokesperson told TheWrap that the move to the Staples Center will "provide us with an opportunity to execute our vision at a new size and scale while maintaining the intimacy of the musical performances that the VMAs have become legendary for."

“Staples Center is incredibly excited to have the opportunity to host the 2012 MTV Video Music Awards,” Lee Zeidman, senior vice president & general manager of Staples Center, said of the move.

While the VMAs have been held at a variety of locations in New York, Los Angeles and Miami and Las Vegas since its maiden ceremony in 1984, the Nokia had hosted the event for the past two years.

The BBC has been chatting about what to expect from Being Human series 5, and a new villain is at the top of the list

BBC Three may have knocked The Fades on the head thanks to budget trimming (still a decision we’re hoping may be reversed at some point), but it did at least renew long-standing supernatural drama Being Human. Series 5 of the vampire/werewolf/ghost show is on its way from creator Toby Whithouse, who’s already written episode 1, according to BBC Online Exec Rebecca Denton.

In a blog post, Denton describes the new series as, “Bigger, better, bolder, braver and definitely more terrifying that anything that has come before. Yes, season 5 is promising to deliver all the laughs and fun of season 4 but with a very definitely new and nasty, chilling edge.” Adding, “the calls for a new villain have been answered.”

ESPN Films has announced the return of its "30 for 30" sports documentary series, with a second season that will be accompanied by the launch of a series of 30 short films that will debut at sportswriting website Grantland.com.

The "30 for 30" series debuted in 2009 to celebrate the 30th anniversary of ESPN. The first documentary shown -- "Kings Ransom" -- was directed by actor/filmmaker Peter Berg and revolved around the 1988 trade of NHL superstar Wayne Gretzky from Edmonton to Los Angeles.

The "30 for 30" series also included entries directed by Barry Levinson, Ice Cube, Morgan Freeman, John Singleton and Oscar winner Barbara Kopple, and the 30th installment, "Pony Excess," aired in December 2010 and retold the story of the SMU football program and its two-year death penalty for NCAA infractions.

"30 for 30" season two documentaries will include "Broke," about the all-too-frequent post-career financial downfalls of pro athletes; "Bo Knows," about all-star pro football and baseball player Bo Jackson (pictured above left); and "The Season of Their Lives," about the 1982-83 NCAA basketball championship season of Jim Valvano and the North Carolina State Wolfpack.

"'30 for 30' was conceived as a finite collection and when the original series ended in December of 2010 with 'Pony Excess,' we had underestimated the strength of the connection fans had made between sports documentaries and the '30 for 30' brand," ESPN Films vice president Connor Schell said in a statement. "We’re proud to have created a brand that has become synonymous with quality sports storytelling and we see value in bringing back a second collection of 30 films."

"30 for 30 Vol. II" is scheduled to premiere in October, while "30 for 30 Shorts," a 30-part digital short film series, will debut at Grantland.com in September.

The first "30 for 30 Shorts" entry, "Here Now," revolves around disgraced Major League Baseball player Pete Rose and can be watched at Grantland.com now.

Grantland editor Bill Simmons is the co-creator and producer for the "30 for 30" TV series.

Kim Kardashian: Kanye West Will Appear on 'Keeping Up With the Kardashians'

How serious is the relationship between the not-yet-divorced Kim Kardashian and her rapper boyfriend Kanye West? Serious enough that West will be popping up on the new season of "Keeping Up With the Kardashians."

"I want to show my life," Kim Kardashian told E! Online, adding that West would appear on a few episodes of the E! reality series.

West attended a baby shower for Kardashian sister Kourtney last weekend, and the event was filmed for the E! series.

"If we are having dinner and (West) does show up, I'm sure we're not going to go, 'Stop the cameras!'" Kardashian said. "I'm not going to be taking a bubble bath and drinking champagne or on a sex swing like Khloé (Kardashian Odom) and Lamar (Odom) do. It's not going to be like that."

A rep for E! did not immediately respond to TheWrap's request for comment.

The seventh season of "Keeping Up With the Kardashians" premieres on Sunday.

A Hulk television series is still in development, ABC president Paul Lee has confirmed.

An adaptation of the Marvel comic is being planned for the network's 2013 schedule, it was announced in a recent conference call.

"The Hulk is in development," said Lee. "It wasn't going to be ready for this season, but we hope it will be ready for next season. We would like to see some Marvel projects move to television."

Lee also revealed that another Marvel project - AKA Jessica Jones - has stalled at the network.

"We did not pick it up for this season [and] we have another development which is further at the front of the queue," he said.

Other Marvel series may also be adapted for television by ABC Studios, but Lee refused to confirm specifics.

"We've got some in development, but none that I can talk about at this point," he explained. "Of course, we're immensely proud to be in a company with The Avengers and... we're going to continue to develop aggressively."

A Hulk TV project - produced by Hellboy director Guillermo del Toro and Battlestar Galactica's David Eick - was first announced in November 2010.

Mark Ruffalo recently played Bruce Banner / The Hulk in Joss Whedon's film The Avengers, which has made more than $1 billion (£623 million) worldwide.

'The Voice' UK will pave way for new music TV, say axed Matt & Sueleen

Axed Voice UK singers Matt & Sueleen have paid tribute to the BBC One talent show, claiming that it will "pave the way for much more variations of music on TV".

The duo, who departed The Voice on Sunday night, admitted that they had previously never dreamed of appearing on a reality series because they didn't believe they would be able to express themselves properly on a show like The X Factor.

"This show let us give something of who we are, which is a great thing. We'd never have dreamt of going on any other talent show," Sueleen told Digital Spy.

"We didn't want to go down the TV route and be exposed in a certain way, but this show has turned that on its head. It's been incredibly positive. Everyone behind the scenes has been great, it's been a wonderful show to work on.

"Hopefully this will pave the way for much more variations of music on TV and I'm really looking forward to seeing it all."

The 34-year-old singer from Canterbury added: "Going forward we really want to go gigging. We want to do the festival circuit in Europe and America. We want to start working and use this momentum.

Highlights include the return of "Upstairs Downstairs" plus Ken Burns's new documentary "The Dust Bowl."

The runaway British hit CALL THE MIDWIFE, a new drama that depicts midwifery in 1950s London, kicks off the PBS 2012 fall season with a six-part Sunday-night run that begins September 30. A production of BBC Worldwide and Neal Street Productions, MIDWIFE further strengthens PBS' hold on quality Sunday night programs and launches a fall full of drama - both fictional and real - anchored by Ken Burns's new documentary THE DUST BOWL, PBS ELECTION 2012 coverage of the presidential campaign including FRONTLINE's award-winning "The Choice," and the season two return of MASTERPIECE CLASSIC "Upstairs Downstairs."

Sundays continue to be a source of captivating drama for PBS, while strong Wednesday "Exploration" nights feature new episodes of the science series NATURE, NOVA and an updated NOVA scienceNOW, hosted for the first time by tech guru and New York Times reporter David Pogue. Monday nights open with a series of ANTIQUES ROADSHOW specials that lead into the first fall season of MARKET WARRIORS. The award-winning film series INDEPENDENT LENS moves to Mondays at 10 p.m. beginning October 29, creating a new space for independent film that will also be the home for POV's 2013 season. Friday night PBS ARTS programs include the four-part series VOCES, which highlights Latino and Hispanic arts, and AMERICAN MASTERS "Joffrey: Mavericks of American Dance."

"PBS' fall schedule, one of our strongest in years, builds on the knowledge that our programming approach is working, bringing in new viewers throughout the week," says Paula Kerger, PBS president and CEO. "Our incredible Sunday night schedule sets the stage for enhanced weeknight viewing, too. Mondays are poised to bring in a diversity of new voices and perspectives with independent films; popular Wednesday nature and science programs will continue to build with a revamped NOVA scienceNOW; and our nightly politics and election coverage will grow as we move toward Election Day and give viewers new perspectives on the issues they care about."

Fall 2012 Highlights

BROADWAY OR BUST

Sundays, September 9-23, 2012, 8:00-9:00 p.m. ET

PBS is bound for Broadway with a new three-part documentary series that tracks the real-life stories of America's top high school musical performers, vying in the ultimate competition to find the nation's best young theater stars. Part competition, part performance and part non-fiction drama, the series starts in regional theatrical programs, then moves to New York City, where the "best of the best" compete in the National High School Musical Theatre Awards (a.k.a. The Jimmy Awards).

CALL THE MIDWIFE

Sundays, September 30 to November 4, 2012, 8:00-9:00 p.m. ET

Based on a best-selling trilogy by the late Jennifer Worth, CALL THE MIDWIFE is a fascinating portrayal of birth, life and death in a world drastically different from ours. This six-part series offers an unconventional twist to Sunday-night British dramas and brings mid-20th-century London to life, focusing on the joys and hardships of a group of midwives working in London's East End.

MASTERPIECE CLASSIC "Upstairs Downstairs," Season 2

Sundays, October 7 to November 11, 2012, 9:00-10:00 p.m. ET

The saga continues at 165 Eaton Place, with new characters upstairs and down, in a six-part sequel to the much-loved MASTERPIECE series from the 1970s. Set in 1936, the lives of masters and servants have never been so captivating, as two new arrivals make their mark and Lady Agnes reveals a dark secret. Alex Kingston ("ER," "Doctor Who") joins the cast. The six-part series follows MIDWIFE, starting October 7. Viewers can catch up on the first season with a three-hour marathon September 30.

FRONTLINE "The Choice"

Tuesday, October 9, 2012, 9:00-11:00 p.m. ET

The quadrennial election special maintains its reputation for clear, unbiased reporting as it covers the 2012 presidential candidates. "The Choice" provides viewers an in-depth look at President Barack Obama and challenger Mitt Romney, exploring the forces behind their campaigns, voter views on the issues and the projected changes the eventual winner will bring to the White House.

THE DUST BOWL

Sunday, November 18 and Monday, November 19, 2012, 8:00-10:00 p.m. ET

Ken Burns's new two-part, four-hour documentary THE DUST BOWL chronicles the environmental catastrophe that destroyed the farmlands of the Great Plains, turned prairies into deserts and unleashed a pattern of massive, deadly dust storms in 1930s America. Personal survival stories and rare archival footage tell the story of the country's worst manmade ecological disaster. In conjunction with the broadcast, PBS celebrates the centennial of Woody Guthrie's birth with a repeat of his acclaimed AMERICAN MASTERS profile on Friday, November 16, 2012 at 9:00 p.m. ET.

FALL 2012 SCHEDULE

(Listed chronologically by premiere date with multipart series, such as NOVA, listed under first air date.)

PBS ELECTION 2012

Under the umbrella of PBS ELECTION 2012, PBS' acclaimed news and public affairs shows NEED TO KNOW, PBS NEWSHOUR, WASHINGTON WEEK WITH GWEN IFILL AND NATIONAL JOURNAL and FRONTLINE bring viewers the most trusted and balanced looks at the fall's biggest election news and events, each with its own unique perspective.

NEED TO KNOW "Campaign 2012"

Fridays, continuing series, 8:30-9:00 p.m. ET

This weekly 30- minute news magazine series, with reporting from across the country, covers political issues from Main Street's point of view. It profiles up-and-coming political leaders and will report regularly from the road in key states. Essays from Jon Meacham and a diverse group of journalists and big thinkers are a weekly feature. Respected and experienced media professionals, including Scott Simon, Maria Hinojosa, Ray Suarez and Jeff Greenfield, both anchor the program and report from the field.

PBS NEWSHOUR featuring 2012 POLITICAL DEBATES

Monday-Friday, 7:00-8:00 p.m. ET

Election-focused programming continues with gavel-to-gavel coverage of the conventions in Tampa and Charlotte, live web streaming of the political activity and conversations with local delegations throughout the day on the ground. Gwen Ifill and Judy Woodruff co-anchor live coverage of election specials, including the presidential debates on October 3, 16 and 22 at 9:00 p.m. ET and the vice-presidential debate on October 11, at 9:00 p.m. ET, each followed by a 30-minute analysis. NEWSHOUR covers election night on November 6, beginning at 6:00 p.m., with a full evening of news and analysis.

WASHINGTON WEEK WITH GWEN IFILL AND NATIONAL JOURNAL

Fridays, continuing series, 8:00-8:30 p.m. ET

Gwen Ifill hosts PBS' longest-running public affairs series, which features Washington's top journalists analyzing the week's top news stories and their effects on the lives of all Americans.

AMERICAN EXPERIENCE "Death and the Civil War"

Tuesday, September 18, 2012, 8:00-10:00 p.m. ET

This documentary from acclaimed filmmaker Ric Burns chronicles the bloodiest war in our nation's history and explores how the shattering death toll of the American Civil War transformed not only individual lives, but the life of the nation, from its understanding of citizenship to the profound struggle of a deeply religious culture to reconcile these events with a belief in a benevolent God. Presented for the 150th anniversary of Antietam, the bloodiest day of battle on American soil.

POV

Thursdays, September 20 to October 25, 2012, 10:00 p.m. ET

The award-winning POV series, which features America's best independent filmmakers, premieres five films on Thursdays this fall. September 20: "I'm Carolyn Parker: The Good, the Mad, and the Beautiful" is Academy Award-winning director Jonathan Demme's intimate account of a woman's five-year crusade to rebuild her beloved neon-green house, her church and her New Orleans community after Hurricane Katrina. September 27: "El Velador (The Night Watchman)" documents the life of a mausoleum guard in Mexico - a reminder that peaceful existence persists amid the turmoil of Mexico's deadly drug war. October 4: "Give Up Tomorrow" exposes shocking corruption within the Philippines judicial system and one of the country's most sensational trials. October 18: "Sun Kissed" shows a Navajo couple's tragic realization that they continue to face consequences of the Navajos' Long Walk - their forced relocation by the U.S. military in 1864. October 25: "Nostalgia for Light" presents a remarkable meditation on memory, history and eternity in Chile's remote Atacama Desert.

AMERICAN MASTERS

Monday, September 24, 2012, 10:00-11:30 p.m. ET: "The Day Carl Sandburg Died" is a panoramic story of the Pulitzer Prize-winning author, his work and his legacy, including contributions to poetry, history, music and children's literature.

Tuesday, November 20, 2012, 8:00-10:00 p.m. ET: "Inventing David Geffen" is an exclusive and candid look at the legendary Geffen and his far-reaching influence on American popular culture. He launched the early successes of Joni Mitchell, Crosby, Stills and Nash, and Jackson Browne; co-founded DreamWorks; produced Cats and Dreamgirls; and has become an important political and philanthropic voice. Geffen's life is illuminated through powerhouse friends such as Cher, David Crosby, Barry Diller, Rahm Emanuel, Elton John, Frank Rich, Stephen Spielberg, Neil Young and more.

LIVE FROM LINCOLN CENTER "New York Philharmonic Opening Gala"

Thursday, September 27, 2012, 8:00-10:00 p.m. ET

Itzhak Perlman, preeminent violinist of our time, performs Tchaikovsky's Violin Concerto. The New York Philharmonic, under Maestro Alan Gilbert's baton, illuminates the magic of Rome with Respighi's glittering showpieces for virtuoso orchestra: Fountains of Rome and Pines of Rome.

PBS ARTS

Friday nights beginning September 28, 2012 (check local listings)

SOUND TRACKS: MUSIC WITHOUT BORDERS

Friday, September 28, 2012, 9:00-10:00 p.m. ET

This musical adventure series roams America and the world in search of compelling music, telling the stories behind the sounds and the artists who create it. The magazine-format features three stories and a special "global hit" performance. "The Jazz Ambassador" features a concert and an in-depth interview with Wynton Marsalis. "Brave" introduces viewers to the Scottish folk singer who wrote and sings the theme to Pixar's newest movie. "The Voice of Africa" follows the country's most famous living singer, Youssou N'dour, as he runs for president of Senegal, ending with a grand concert celebration.

PBS VOCES

Fridays, September 28 to October 19, 2012, 10:00-11:00 p.m. ET

Latino Public Broadcasting presents this new primetime showcase of outstanding documentaries celebrating the rich diversity of Latino life. September 28: "Tales of Masked Men" takes a colorful look at the fascinating phenomenon known as "lucha libre" and its role in Latino communities in the United States and Mexico. October 5: "Escaramuza: Riding from the Heart" is the story of Escaramuza Charra Las Azaleas, a team of first-generation Mexican-American horsewomen on a two-year journey to represent the United States at the National Charro Championships in Mexico. October 12: "Unfinished Spaces" is set 50 years after the Cuban Revolution, when three architects resume work on Cuba's National Art Schools, a project left unfinished in 1965 when their creative vision came head-to-head with the revolution. October 19: "Lemon" [description TBA]

AMERICAN MASTERS Friday, December 28, 2012, 9:00-10:30 p.m. ET: "Joffrey: Mavericks of American Dance" relates how the Joffrey Ballet revolutionized American dance by daringly combining modern and traditional techniques, merging art with social statement and setting ballets to pop and rock music scores.

HALF THE SKY

Monday, October 1 and Tuesday, October 2, 2012, 9:00-11:00 p.m. ET

A two-night, four-hour PBS national and international special event introduced by George Clooney, HALF THE SKY follows incredible stories of challenge and triumph, traveling with New York Times columnist Nicholas Kristof and celebrity advocates America Ferrera, Diane Lane, Eva Mendes, Meg Ryan, Gabrielle Union and Olivia Wilde on a journey to ten countries, where they meet inspiring individuals and discover how the oppression of women and girls is being confronted. In association with the Independent Television Service (ITVS) as a special presentation of Independent Lens.

NATURE

Wednesdays, beginning October 10, 2012, 8:00-9:00 p.m. ET

The benchmark series returns with latest stories of the wild from international wildlife filmmakers. October 10: "Siberian Tiger Quest" (w.t.) joins filmmakers Chris Morgan and Sooyong Park to find and film the elusive Siberian tigers in remote Russia. October 24: "Magic of the Snowy Owl" (w.t.) features a bird made popular by Harry Potter's Hedwig, revealing how these raptors survive in one of the most inhospitable places on the planet. November 7: "Animal Odd Couples" (w.t.) investigates unlikely cross-species relationships and how these special bonds relate to animal emotions. November 14: "Ducks: Wings on Water" (w.t.) gets an insider perspective from a wood duck family on an epic migration spanning thousands of miles.

NOVA

Wednesdays, beginning October 10, 2012, 9:00-10:00 p.m. ET

From cutting-edge police science and space exploration to ancient structures and evidence of ancient technology, NOVA brings viewers stories of intriguing mysteries from this planet and beyond. Go back in time on "Secrets of the Viking Super Sword" (10/10), "Mystery of Easter Island" (11/7) and "Ancient Computer" (w.t.) (11/21) to discover some of science's best-kept secrets from ancient cultures. See the gritty reality of the forensic crime lab and why forensics in the U.S. is in a state of crisis on "Forensics on Trial" (10/17) and experience exhilarating moments with the team of scientists and engineers responsible for the new Mars rover on "Mars Curiosity" (w.t.) (11/14).

NOVA science NOW

Wednesdays, beginning October 10, 2012, 10:00-11:00 p.m. ET

Renowned tech reporter David Pogue of The New York Times debuts as host of six new fast-paced and fun episodes of this science magazine series, bringing enthusiasm and knowledge to the most intriguing stories and breakthroughs of our time. The upcoming season explores six science questions: "What Are Animals Thinking?"; "Can Science Stop Crime?"; "What Makes Us Human?"; "How Smart Can We Get?"; "What Will the Future Be Like?"; and "Can I Eat That?"

INDEPENDENT LENS

Mondays, starting October 29, 2012, 10:00 p.m. ET

The acclaimed Emmy Award-winning independent documentary series moves to Monday nights at 10 p.m. next season. New episodes include "As Goes Janesville," a story following two years in the lives of laid-off workers, business leaders and elected officials trying to reinvent their lives and their town amid economic crisis, and "The Waiting Room," a cinema verité portrait of a California city's public safety-net hospital as it struggles to handle patient overload in a swooning economy and a constantly shifting landscape of health care policy.

Facing tough competition, Stern's debut as a judge on "America's Got Talent" Monday night dropped from last spring's season premiere, while CBS took an overall ratings win with its slate of season finales, according to preliminary numbers.

"Talent" from 8 to 10 posted a 3.6 in the demo -- down 16 percent from last season's premiere on May 31 -- and 10.3 million total viewers. Last year's season premiere, however, was boosted by "The Voice," which aired following "Talent," and faced repeats from CBS.

Monday night's premiere matched the 2010 premiere, as well as last season's finale.

CBS came in first in the advertiser-cherished 18-49 demographic with an average 3.3/9 and second in total viewers with an average 10.4 million.

The "How I Met Your Mother" season finale at 8 p.m. posted a 3.6/10. "Two and a Half Men"'s season swan song the following hour drew even with last week, drawing a 3.8/10 in the demo. "Mike and Molly" at 9:30 received a 3.3/8, while "Hawaii 5-0" at 10 posted 2.7.

NBC took second place in the demo and third in total viewers with an average 3.0/8 and 8.9 million.

"Smash" at 10 ran even in the demo with a 1.8/5 and posted a seven-week high in total viewers with 6.1 million.

ABC plans an all-star edition of "Dancing With the Stars" next season, the network announced Tuesday.

We hear you grumbling: "Oh, they're going to try having stars, this time?" Yes. The network plans to take some of the most popular of the famous and semi-famous contestants who have competed on the show over its past 14 cycles.

ABC entertainment president Paul Lee made the announcements while describing the network's 2012-13 slate for reporters.

He didn't name them, of course: The months of speculation about who will be back is part of the hype machine surrounding the show, which has dipped in ratings lately. Which may explain the all-star approach.

Lee would say only that casting is underway.

"I would love to see some of the fan favorites from the past seasons come back," he said.

Who would you like to see return? Palin? J.R. Martinez? Drew Lachey? Kim Kardashian? Let us know in the comments.

The new alien comedy "The Neighbors" will follow "Modern Family" on ABC in the fall, to be followed by the Connie Britton drama "Nashville," the network announced Tuesday as it released its 2012-13 lineup.

The network's 10 new series -- “666 Park Avenue,” “The Family Tools,” “How to Live with your Parents (For the Rest of Your Life),” “Last Resort,” “Malibu Country,” “Mistresses,” “Nashville,” “The Neighbors,” “Red Widow” and “Zero Hour” -- will be split between fall and midseason.

On Sunday, "Revenge" will replace the departed "Desperate Housewives" at 9, and will be followed by the new supernatural drama "666 Park Avenue." Mondays will continue to feature "Dancing With the Stars" or "The Bachelor," followed by "Castle."

"Happy Endings" and "Don't Trust the B---- in Apt. 23," will move to Tuesday nights, where they will be joined in January by the new comedies "How to Live with Your Parents (For the Rest of Your Life)” and “The Family Tools.” Beginning in November, ABC will move Tim Allen's Tuesday night comedy "Last Man Standing" to Fridays, where it will be paired with Reba McEntire's "Malibu Country." (The shows will face off in the 8 o'clock hour with a new Friday NBC comedy block pairing "Whitney" and "Community.")

ABC will launch the nuclear submarine drama "The Last Resort" on Thursdays to kick off three hours of drama including "Grey's Anatomy" and "Scandal."

The timeslot after "Modern Family" suggests ABC has especially high hopes for "The Neighbors," starring Jami Gertz and Lenny Venito as a couple who move into a New Jersey gated community only to find that their neighbors are aliens. It is written by Dan Fogelman (“Cars,” “Tangled,” and “Crazy, Stupid, Love”).

"Nashville," meanwhile, finds Britton playing a country singer trying to steal back the spotlight from up-and-comer Hayden Panettiere. It comes from "Thelma & Louise" writer Callie Khouri.

On a Sunday night that saw television usage down more than 8 percent compared to the previous week for most of the night, ABC took a ratings win, with "Once Upon a Time" sharing the top slot with the series finale of "Desperate Housewives," according to preliminary numbers.

ABC took first place in ratings and total viewership with an average 2.8 rating/8 share in the advertiser-cherished 18-49 demographic and 9.5 million total viewers. "America's Funniest Home Videos" at 7 was down 20 percent in the demo with a 1.6/6 and drew 6.3 million total viewers.

The "Once Upon a Time" season finale at 8 shared the top ratings spot with a 3.2/10 in the demo and taking 9.5 million total viewers. The two-hour "Desperate Housewives" series finale at 9 posted a 3.2/8, a 19 percent surge over the previous week, with 11.1 million total viewers (which also made it the most-watched show of the evening).

CBS drew second place in ratings and total viewers with an average 2.3/7 and 9.4 million. "60 Minutes" at 7 hit a season low, dropping 25 percent to a 1.2/5 and drawing 9.2 million total viewers. The "Survivor" finale at 8 also took a big hit, dropping 30 percent from last spring's finale for a 2.8/8, its lowest rating for a finale to date. "Survivor" took in 8.9 million total viewers. The "Survivor" reunion show at 10 was down 29 percent from last year's reunion show, posting a 2.4/6 with 8 million total viewers.

Fox came in third in ratings and fourth in total viewers with an average 1.7/5 and 3.6 million. Following a "Simpsons" repeat at 7, "The Cleveland Show" drew a 1.3/5 in the demo with 2.8 million total viewers. "The Simpsons" at 8 was down 14 percent with a 1.9/6 and drew 4 million total viewers. "Bob's Burgers" at 8:30 ran even in the demo with a 1.8/5 and drew 3.6 million total viewers, while "Family Guy" at 9 was down 15 percent with a 2.3/6, grabbing 4.9 million total viewers. "American Dad" at 9:30 was down 13 percent with a 2.0/5, and drew 4.1 million total viewers.

NBC came in fourth in ratings and third in total viewers with an average 1.3/4 and 5.5 million. "Dateline" at 7 grew 14 percent for a 0.8/3 and took 3.6 million total viewers, while the recently canceled "Harry's Law" the following hour grew 25 percent from last week for a 1.0/3 and grabbed 7.6 million total viewers. "Celebrity Apprentice" at 9 slipped modestly from last week for a 1.8/5 and took in 5.4 million total viewers.

Yuuuuup! "Storage Wars," the most-watched series on A&E, returns on June 5 with more than two dozen new episodes for its third season.

Back-to-back new installments kick off a season that will include 26 episodes in all. Season two averaged 4.7 million total viewers as the show continues to be the most popular program in A&E history..

Season three will see the return of the series' original cast members including breakout star Barry Weiss, treasure-hunting couple Jarrod and Brandi, Darrell Sheets and son Brandon, and Dave Hester, the self-proclaimed "The Mogul," who rubs his castmates the wrong way.

"From robots to drag races, and artifacts to artisans … the next level has arrived," according to an A&E release.

Ashleigh Butler has revealed that she plans to spend up to half of her winnings on her pet dog Pudsey.

The dancing dog act won the Britain's Got Talent final on Saturday (May 12), along with £500,000 in prize money.

"He was sitting on the bed and I told him: 'Pudsey, you've just won £250,000'," she told The Sun.

"He knows that he's done something good but he doesn't know what. He wouldn't know what to spend the money on so I'll probably have to spend it for him."

She added: "I lost one of his leads during the semi-final so he needs a new one. He loves his bling so maybe I'll get him one with diamonds."

Butler also joked that Pudsey did not feel starstruck when he met Simon Cowell backstage, and kept him waiting for nearly half-an-hour.

"Pudsey kept Simon waiting for 30 minutes to see him as he had some filming to do. And when we went into his dressing room, he wasn't like, 'Oh my God, you're Simon Cowell'.

"He treated him like a normal person. Simon was going, 'Pudsey come on my lap' - but he only stayed there for about three seconds and then he got off again. It was a bit of a shame. But I still think Simon's in love with Pudsey."

Simon Cowell has been rumoured to be planning to fly the pair to Los Angeles in order to strike up a film deal.

Butler explained that she has always wanted to bring Pudsey onto the big screen, and would jump at the chance to do so in the future.

"It's always been a massive dream of mine to get into film work with Pudsey. I thought Uggie was amazing and I think Pudsey would be perfect for something like that role. If he sees a camera he looks straight at it and starts posing. He loves attention.

"I've watched all the dog films like Lassie and Greyfriars Bobby. If he was in their league it would be brilliant."

NBC announced at its upfront presentation to advertisers Monday that it has greenlit a new pirate-themed series, "Crossbones” and may air the "Munsters" update, "Mockingbird Lane," by midseason 2012-13.

NBC Entertainment Chairman Bob Greenblatt said the “Mockingbird” pilot, starring Eddie Izzard (pictured) in the Grandpa role, will be shot next month and could be on the air soon if it goes well.

“Crossbones,” about the pirate Blackbeard creating a society that is more civilized than the British Empire, comes from "Luther" creator Neil Cross.

The network unveiled its 2012-13 slate to advertisers Monday at Radio City Music Hall in a presentation that included perfromances by “Smash” stars Katharine McPhee and Megan Hilty and “The Voice” winner Jermaine Paul.

The network, which has been in fourth place for years, said it would end the current season neck-and-neck with ABC for third place in the 18-49 demographic most important to advertisers.

It also stressed that it will heavily promote its new fall shows during the Olympic Games this summer.